Aspir-jet washer



1966 J. M. VALDESPINO ETAL 3,293,890

ASPIR-JET WASHER Filed May 14, 1965 4 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTORS 1441 pas/mm,

40m a/ma ATTORNEY;

Dec. 27, 1966 J. M. VALDESPINO ETAL 3,

ASPIR-JET WASHER Filed May 14, 1965 4 Sheets$heet 2 ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1966 J. M. VALDESPINO ETAL 3,293,890

ASPIRJET WASHER 4 Sheets-5heet 5 Filed May 14, 1965 aw-701w z. (my

Dec. 27, 1966 J. M. VALDESPINO ETAL 3,293,890

ASPIR-JET WASHER Filed May 14, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,2%,89il ASPIR-JET WASHER Joe M. Valdespino, @riando, Fla, Clifford E. Cox, Chicago, IlL, and Floyd Groo, Orlando, Fla, assignors to Valcox Corporation, Orlando, Fla.

Filed May 14, 1965, Ser. No. 455,686 8 Claims. (Cl. 68-2l) This invention relates to the cleaning and removing of dirt and other impurities and foreign matter from articles such as wearing apparel or the like, as well as to apparatus and equipment by which the articles are cleaned using soap, detergents or other cleaning agents.

The invention relates particularly to an automatic machine for washing clothes or the like which will agitate the clothes and remove the dirt therefrom after which the dirty water is removed from the machine and the clothes are rinsed at least once and thereafter the clothes are squeezed to remove excess water.

Heretofore many efforts have been made to provide washing machines for removing dirt from clothing or the like and to remove excess water therefrom. However, most of these prior art devices have been relatively complicated with at least one motor and a gear type transmission for altering the direction of drive of the output shaft of the motor. These devices normally have a fixed outer tank and a rotatable inner tank in which the clothes are placed for an agitating or tumbling action, after which the wash water is drained and several rinses take place, and thereafter the inner tank is rotated rapidly to expel excess Water by centrifugal force. Some effort has been made to provide a flexible diaphragm or membrane Within the washing machine so that the clothes can be squeezed to remove excess Water. However, these machines required a separate suction pump and motor which were necessary in order to provide the negative pressure or partial vacuum to cause the squeezing action. These prior art devices have been complicated and have failed to thoroughly remove the dirt and other foreign particles from the clothing, and have failed to remove suflicient excess water in a limited amount of time. Also these devices have been expensive initially and have required excessive time and expense to maintain the machines in operative condition.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the diffieulties enumerated and to provide a low-cost washing machine having substantially no moving parts and which will automatically wash clothing and other articles, rinse the articles and thereafter provide a squeezing action to remove excess moisture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine in which turbulence in the tank is created by the application of atmospheric air through one or more venturi-type aspirators and after the articles have been rinsed applying a negative pressure or vacuum to the tank to collapse a flexible bladder or membrane to squeeze the excess moisture from the articles in a minimum of time and with substantially no moving parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine having inner and outer fixed tanks connected to a pump through a series of venturi-type aspirators in such a manner that the washing, rinsing and squeezedrying of the articles is performed automatically by a single motor and a series of timer controlled electrical switches.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lint trap which will separate foreign articles from the liquid within the tank during the circulation of such liquid but which will permit the lint and other foreign particles to be removed from the machine during the drain cvcles.

Patented Dec. 27, 1966 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective of the device with portions broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2, a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3, a vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5, a horizontal section on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6, an enlarged section on the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7, an enlarged vertical section of a typical venturi-type aspirator;

FIG. 8, an enlarged section on the line 88 of FIG. 4 illustrating the self-cleaning filter;

FIG. 9, a schematic top plan view of the inner tank illustrating the jet action;

FIG. 10, a schematic vertical section of the structure of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11, a schematic similar to FIG. 10 illustrating the draining of the liquid and with the diaphragm partially collapsed;

FIG.- 12, a schematic vertical section illustrating the position of the diaphragm exerting pressure against the material to squeeze the liquid therefrom; and,

FIG. 13, an enlarged section on the line 13-13 of FIG. 4.

Briefly stated the present invention is a washing machine having an inner perforated tub and an outer imperforate tub, each of which is generally semi-spherical and are connected together at their upper edges. A flexible diaphragm or bladder is mounted on the top of the tubs to form a closed container in which material to be cleaned may be placed through access doors. A plurality of venturi-type aspirators are disposed in difierent positions about the tubs to cause turbulence in the water and to entrain air from the atmosphere in such water. The washing machine is operated in a predetermined sequence by a conventional timer mechanism so that the clothes or other articles are agitated and washed, after which the Water and soap are removed, and a series of rinse cycles are completed. After the last rinse cycle a vacuum or negative pressure is created to cause the bladder to collapse into contact with the material and to squeeze the water therefrom. A lint trap or filter is disposed in the main recirculating line to remove the lint, dirt and other foreign matter from the stream of water during the washing and rinsing cycles, and such filter is automatically cleaned when the water is drained from the machine.

With continued reference to the drawings a housing 10 is provided having a lower portion 11 mounted on a base 12 and an upper portion 13 removably mounted on the lower portion 11. The upper portion 13 preferably is provided with an inclined surface 14 in which an automatic timer mechanism 15 of conventional construction is mounted for accessibility. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 the lower portion 11 of the housing terminates at its upper end in an inwardly turned peripheral flange 16 and on such flange is mounted a partition or support plate 17 by means of screws or other fasteners 18. The partition 17 is provided with a relatively large central opening 19.

An inner perforated tub or tank 20 is located beneath the partition 17 and such tub may have a generally semispherical portion 21 terminating in an outwardly turned flange 22 with the portion 21 having a plurality of openings 23. The inner tub 2.0 is disposed within an imperforate outer tub 24 spaced from the semi-spherical portion 21 and having an outwardly turned flange 25 which engages the flange 22 of the inner tub and if desired a gasket (not shown) may be disposed therebetween.

A flexible dome-shaped diaphragm or bladder 26 is located within the upper housing 13 and such bladder has an outwardly extending flange 27 which overlies the periphery of the opening 19. A reinforcing member 28 is disposed about the lower portion of the bladder 26 to resist outward movement of the bladder when water is in the tubs. The inner and outer tubs 20 and 24, the bladder 26 and the reinforcing member 28 are all connected together and to the partition 17 by a plurality of fasteners 29 to form a closed watertight and airtight container.

Water is introduced into the container through an inlet line 30 having an electrically controlled solenoid operated valve 31 and connected to a source of water supply (not shown). After the container has been filled, the water is circulated by a pump 32 driven by a motor 33. In order to circulate the Water, a pipe line 34 having a normally open solenoid operated valve'34' connects the inlet of the pump 32 with a sump 35 in the lower portion of the outer tub 24, and a pipe line 36 connects the discharge side of the pump with a header 37. A plurality of venturi-type aspirators 38 are mounted on the header 37 and are adapted to discharge water and air into the container. As many aspirators 38 as required may be used and three of such aspirators have been illustrated with the first being located adjacent to the top of the outer tub, the second being located substantially diametrically across from the first and at a lower elevation, and the third extending upwardly substantially centrally of the tubs. The aspirators extend through the outer and inner tubs and the first and second aspirators are arranged on an angle to impart a rotating force in a horizontal direction to the water in the tubs and the third aspirator imparts a circulating force in a vertical direction to cause a relatively violent rolling tumbling action to remove dirt and other foreign matter in a minimum of time.

Each aspirator 38 includes a body 39 having a generally cylindrical bore 40 at one end terminating in a tapered frusto-conical inlet portion 41. Such inlet portion communicates with a reduced or constricted throat 42 which in turn is connected to a diverging frusto-conical discharge portion 43. If desired, a ring 44 having an opening 45 may be mounted within the throat 42 to provide a sharp edged opening through which the liquid must travel to accelerate the rate of flow and to encourage a strong negative pressure in the discharge portion 43. To overcome the negative pressure in the discharge portion and to further accelerate the velocity of the fluid being discharged, air under atmospheric or other pressure is introduced into the discharge portion 43 through an orifice 46 located in spaced relation to the throat 42. The orifice 46 extends outwardly through an enlargement or boss 47 which is connected by an auxiliary hose 48 to a flexible main supply hose 49. The end of the hose 49 is connected to the top of the bladder 26 and is open to the interior of the container. The passage of liquid through the aspirators draws air through the orifice 46 and entrains such air in the liquid. During the wash cycle, soap suds in the upper portion of the container are drawn into the air hose 49 and are entrained in the liquid being dis charged back into the container.

In order to remove dirty water and other foreign matter from the machine, the pipe line 36 on the discharge side of the pump 32 has a T-coupling 50 intermediate the ends of the same and such T-coupling is connected to a drain line 51 for removing liquid from the container after the various cycles have been completed. As illustrated in FIG. 8 an arcuate filter 52 is disposed Within the T- coupling 50 and such filter is disposed in such a position that it extends across the flow of liquid during the recycling process. The filter preferably is of screening or the like and extends from a position adjacent to the entrance of the T-coupling to the drain line connection so that during the recycling process the filter will collect lint and other foreign matter, and when the liquid is being discharged through the drain line 51 the movement of the liquid across the filter will remove the lint therefrom so that the filter will be substantially self-cleaning. An electrically controlled solenoid operated valve 53 is disposed in the pipe 36 above the T-coupling 50 to control the flow of fluid to the header 37 and a solenoid operated valve 54 is disposed in the drain line 51 to control the discharge of fluid from the machine.

After the washing and rinsing cycles have been completed it is desirable to remove excess liquid from the clothes or other articles being washed, and this is done by producing a negative pressure or vacuum within the container to cause the bladder 26 to collapse into contact with the clothes. The vacuum or negative pressure is created by providing a tank 56 mounted on the base 12 and connecting such tank to the inlet side of the pump 32 by means of a pipe line 57 regulated by an electrically controlled solenoid operated valve 58. A pipe line 59 is connected to the drain line 51 at one end is connected to the tank 56 at the opposite end. The flow of liquid through the pipe line 59 is regulated by an electrically controlled solenoid operated valve 60 located adjacent to the connection to the drain line 51.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, an aspirator nozzle 61 is mounted within a coupling or sleeve 62 forming part of the pipe line 59 and such sleeve is connected by a pipe line 63 having a normally closed solenoid operated valve 63' to the bottom portion of the outer tub 24. An upwardly extending pipe 64 is provided from the top of the tank 56 so that excess air which is entrained in the water being discharged into the tank can escape. A relief line 65 having an electrically controlled solenoid operated valve 66 provides communication between the inner tub 20 and the pipe 64 to relieve the vacuum or negative pressure within the container when so desired. In order to control the liquid level in the tank 56 an overflow pipe 67 having a one-way valve 68 provides communication between the upper portion of the tank 56 and the drain line 51 so that any excess liquid within the tank will be discharged through the drain line. A sump 56' is provided on the bottom of the tank 56 to facilitate drainage and such sump is connected to a discharge line 56A having a valve 69. In order to introduce water into the tank 56, a spur line 30' having a valve 30A connects the inlet line 30 with such tank so that operation of the valve 30A will cause water to flow through the line 30' and into the tank.

In order to insert clothing or other material to be washed within the tubs and to remove such material after it has been cleaned, the lower portion 11 of the housing 10 is provided with a swinging door 70 mounted on hinges 71. The inner side of the door 70 is provided with an upstanding flange 72 with an elongated slot 73 therein and such slot slidably receives a pin 74 mounted on one end of a link 75. The opposite end of the link is pivotally connected by a pin 76 to the upper portion of a swinging imperforate door 77 mounted on hinges 78 on the outer tub 24 in such a manner that the door 77 forms part of such outer tub, suitable gaskets being provided to insure watertight integrity between the door and the outer tub. A segment 79 of the inner tub 20 is carried by braces 80 fixed to the swinging door 77 so that when the outer door 70 is opened the link 75 will pivot the inner door 77 downwardly to provide an opening in the outer tub and simultaneously the segment 79 will be removed from the inner tub to provide access to the interior of the inner tub 20. Preferably a passageway 81 connects the lower portion 11 of the housing with the outer tub 24 to prevent material being cleaned from falling to the bottom of the housing accidentally while being placed Within the tubs. A conventional electrically operated lock (not shown) may be provided to prevent the doors from being opened while the machine is operating.

If desired, a lint trap or filter 80 may be located in the sump 35 and such filter may include a relatively fiat screen 81 mounted on a rod or shaft 82 which projects outwardly of the housing 11 and is provided with an operating handle 83. The screen 81 normally is disposed across the path of movement of the water and filters foreign material out of the water as it leaves the outer tub 24 during the Washing process. When the Washing process is completed and the dirty water is being discharged through the drain 51, the operating handle may be reversed to cause the flow of water to remove lint and other foreign matter from the screen 81 and discharge it from the machine. Although manual means has been disclosed for rotating the screen 81, it will be obvious that electro-mechanical means could be provided for accomplishing this purpose.

Also if desired, a screen or lint trap 84 may be disposed about the entrance to the pipe 63 to keep foreign material out of the tank 56.

In the operation of the device the swinging doors 70 and 77 are opened after which clothes or other articles to be cleaned are placed within the inner tub 20 along with soap, detergents or other cleaning agents and the doors are then closed and locked. The automatic timing cycle is energized to first open the valve 31 of the inlet line 30 and allow a predetermined amount of water to enter the container. At this time, valves 53 and 34' are open and valves 30A, 54, 58, 60, 66 and 69 are closed. When the water has reached the desired level, the valve 31 is closed and the motor 33 is energized to operate the pump. Water and soap are circulated through the pipe lines 35 and 36 and the header 37 and discharged through the venturi-type aspirators 38 back into the container. The water and air mixture being injected into the container through the aspirators causes a relatively violent rolling, swirling, tumbling action which quickly removes the dirt and other foreign matter from the clothes. During this cycle the Water is being circulated through the filters 52 and 81 which removes lint and other foreign matter from the same.

After a predetermined time, valve 53 is closed and valve 54 is opened to pump the water and soap from the machine into the drain 51 and the filter 81 is reversed to remove the lint thereon. Due to the curvature and location of the filter 52, water being discharged through the drain line will remove the lint and other foreign matter to clean the filter. When the wash water has been drained, valve 54 is closed and valves 53 and 31 are opened, the latter to introduce clean rinse water into the container and the former to permit circulation there of to complete a rinse cycle. Subsequently the first rinse water is drained and as many additional rinse cycles as desired may be completed although three rinse cycles should be enough.

Upon the draining of the last rinse cyole, valves 31, 34,, 53, 54 and 66 are closed and valves 58, 60 and 63' are opened. This permits water to fiow from the tank 56 through the line 57 and the pump 32 to the line 59 and back to the tank 56. In passing through the line 59, the water must pass through aspirator nozzle 61 which creates a negative pressure within the sleeve 62. Since the sleeve 62 is connected to the outer tank 24 by the line 63, a negative pressure is created within the container which causes the bladder 26 to collapse into engagement with the clothes or other articles being cleaned. Continued downward movement of the bladder 26 will apply pressure to the clothes and squeeze excess water therefrom and discharge such excess water through the openings 23 in the inner tank into the outer tank 24 where it will be discharged through the drain line 34 into the tank 56. Air from the inside of the tub 21 and the bladder 26 will be discharged through the line 63 into the tank 56 where it will be wasted through vent line 64. Any excess Water in the tank 56 will be discharged through the overflow pipe 67 and the one-way valve 68 into the drain line 51.

After the excess water has been removed from the clothes, the motor 33 is deactivated to stop the pump and the valve 66 is opened to relieve the negative pressure within the container and permit the bladder 26 to assume its normal position. The doors 70 and 77 may then be opened and the clothes removed from the machine.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple washing machine has been provided which has very few moving parts and which performs the washing, rinsing and damp dry operations in a minimum of time using a single pump.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic washing machine comprising a base, a housing mounted on said base, an imperforate tub (located within said housing, a perforated tub mounted within said imperforate tub, a flexible bladder mounted on said tubs and forming an airtight container, means for introducing fluid into said imperforate tub, header means in said housing, a plurality of venturi-type aspirators connecting said header means and said perforated tub, pump means connected to said imperforate tub and said header means for circulating the fluid through said header means and discharging the same through said aspirators into said perforated tub under pressure, and means for draining said fluid from said machine.

2. The structure of claim 1 including filter means for removing foreign matter from said fluid.

3. The structure of claim 1 including a liquid containing tank mounted on said base, first pipe line means connected to said pump means for circulating the liquid out of and into said tank, a sleeve in said first pipe line means, an aspirator nozzle in said sleeve, a second pipe line means connecting said sleeve and said imperforate tub, whereby a negative pressure will be created in said sleeve and said container causing said bladder to collapse into engagement with material in said perforated tub to remove excess fluid therefrom.

4. An automatic washing machine comprising an imperforate tub, a perforated tub located within said imperforate tub, a flexible bladder mounted on said tubs forming an airtight container, means for introducing fluid into said container, a venturi-type aspirator extending into said container, pump means connected to said container and said aspirator for circulating fluid from said container through said aspirator and injecting the same into said perforated tub under pressure, and means for draining said machine.

5. An automatic washing machine comprising an airtight container including inner and outer generally semispherical tubs and a flexible bladder connected together in airtight assembled relation, means for introducing fluid into said container, a pump, means connecting the inlet side of said pump with said outer tub, header means located adjacent to said container, means connecting the discharge of said pump with said header means, a plurality of vent-uri-type aspirators carried by said header means and extending into said inner tub for removing fluid from the outer tub and injecting said fluid into said inner tub under pressure, said aspirators being disposed on an angle relative to each other and at various elevations within said container to cause a tumbling swirling rotating action in said inner tub, means for draining said fluid from said container, means for creating a negative pressure in said container to cause said flexible bladder to collapse, and means for relieving said negative pressure to permit said bladder to return to its initial position.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said means for creating a negative pressure includes a tank, first pipe line means connecting said tank to the inlet side of said pump, second pipe line means connecting the discharge side of the pump with said tank, an aspirator nozzle located in said second pipe line means, and third pipe line means connecting said container and said second pipe line means, whereby movement of fluid through said first and second pipe line means and through said aspirator nozzle will create a negative pressure in said container through said third pipe line means.

7. The structure of claim 6 including means for discharging excess liquid from said tank.

8. The structure of claim 5 including access doors into said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Bedal 6818 X Martel et al 68l84 Russell 68l84 Arc hbold 6818 X Abresch 68-21 Horvat-h 6821 X Freire 6821 France.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

4. AN AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING AN IMPERFORATE TUB, A PERFORATED TUB LOCATED WITHIN SAID IMPERFORATE TUB, A FLEXIBLE BLADDER MOUNTED ON SAID TUBS FORMING AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID INTO SAID CONTAINER, A VENTURI-TYPE ASPIRATOR EXTENDING INTO SAID CONTAINER, PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CONTAINER AND SAID ASPIRATOR FOR CIRCULATING FLUID FROM SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID ASPIRATOR AND INJECTING THE SAME INTO SAID PERFORATED TUB UNDER PRESSURE, AND MEANS FOR DRAINING SAID MACHINE 